


Another Chance

by saalazarsarahi



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:49:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26660131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saalazarsarahi/pseuds/saalazarsarahi
Summary: After Diego ends up in 1963 absolutely alone, he gets obsessed with the idea of saving JFK, but what happens after he reencounters with his girlfriend from his timeline, even after he didn't look for her?
Relationships: Diego Hargreeves/Lila Pitts, Diego Hargreeves/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 4





	Another Chance

**Author's Note:**

> It's my first work so don't condemn me pls lol, also, English is not my first language and it may have some errors, if you find some I would appreciate some feedback!
> 
> PS: It does contain a major spoiler from the ending of season 2, so you might want to finish that before reading this.

It had been a while since Diego had landed in 1963, but the last place he thought he would be was institutionalised in a mental facility. Everyday that passed by was a day he felt useless, he had to stop the President's murder and instead, he was stuck in a place full of weird people and Lila that would never shut up no matter how loud he yelled and warned her to.

"How he ended up here?" You must be asking; Diego had been looking for his siblings when he fell into the timeline but that was shortly cut when he saw the date: September 1st, 1963; it popped into his head right in the moment he saw it: JFK was still alive, and he could keep him that way, why couldn't he? He was better at hand-to-hand battle than that sniper, he was sure of that, but the execution... eh, that didn't go as well. Instead of making a detailed action plan, he started staying outside of the building Harvey worked in, but since he was asking strange questions to the people that worked there, someone called the police and (obviously), they couldn't find any record of Diego, plus, starting to throw knives at them was not a good idea, since then, he had been stuck there, uncapable of saving the President of the United States.

The doctor told him he had a hero complex, which was bullshit, since he _was_ a hero, he had saved the world several times and that only in his teenage years. He was destined for greatness, but he couldn't achieve it if they kept him locked, so he escaped, and he did it by himself since that Number Five son of a bitch hadn't helped him out. Lila ended up with him in the process, which was unexpected, but hey, he was finally free.

In his days of liberty, he realized he liked Lila, she was the only person that understood him, even after seeing how crazy his family situation was she stayed, she actually poked fun at it and didn't look bothered by it... but, oh well... there was this other person... she wasn't there anymore though, and he nor his siblings knew when they were going to be back to their timeline, where she was or if she was still alive or waiting for him or with a totally different life or if he was going to see her again and in what situation. The first nights, he dreamed about meeting her again in the apartment they both shared, he would be just arriving and he pictured her perfectly with the light of the window hitting her back so he could barely make out her face, but he knew she was smiling. She would be standing with a white dress waiting for him, happy that he had finally arrived but, in the day, he had this horrible thought of seeing her in a coffin, her face so peaceful it looked like she was asleep, and a little hope in him came to life that she was going to open her eyes serenly, then he felt guilty because he couldn't save her when she was in danger. He didn't want to torture himself anymore so that was a case closed and tried not to talk or think about it, but even if he tried his best to deny it when Luther asked him, those thoughts were still in the back of his mind haunting him. But for now, all he had in that moment with him was his disfunctional family and one hope: saving JFK. Lila was a case he still had to resolve, she had been acting weird lately.

That morning, after Diego and Luther got that weird message from their dad, they both went on a walk. Diego was about to explode with all of this. He needed time and space to think, he needed to be alone, he liked being alone, he was always alone; but deep inside of him, he couldn't lie saying he didn't enjoy his brother's company.

He had been thinking about what Luther told him; "Everyone changes the world", he had answered to his brother, it was true, but some change it more than others; Diego was a hero, he had to stop crime, to make the world a better place, to make sure everyone was safe, to... Something in the corner of his eye caught his attention: a purple coat he knew a little too well. It was laying on a small couch in the porch of the house. He got nearer and grabbed it to inspection it, he was shocked when he found that tiny hole on the inside part of the back; he had made it accidentally with one of his knives. Maybe... no, it couldn't, it was a coincidence, right?... But what if... What if it was hers?... What if she was here? It didn't hurt to try, did it? Diego knocked on the door of the house. Once. Twice. When he was about to do it for the third time someone opened. "May I help you?" It was an old woman, she had glasses on and she had a very strong southern accent. "Yeah", Diego said hesitantly, "is the owner of this coat here?" He showed it to the woman, she neared her head to look at it better through the door screen. "Oh yeah, she lives here, she's working right now, though", the woman nodded with her head and frowned a little, "Do you want to leave her a message?", Diego started putting the coat back. "Just tell her Diego came". He started walking away. "Hey", said Luther behind him, looking at his brother with clear doubt on his face, "I found a place to eat in".

***

The meeting with his dad had been absolute shit, Diego wondered why had they even agreed to go, it wasn't a surpise he was not help. Diego felt stupid, full of shame and helpless, he didn't want to speak so he just listened to his sibling talking, he was so afraid of stammering again. Before getting in the car they had came in, Diego turned to the one that was parked in front; as he got closer, he recognized his mom, he grabbed the picture in his pocket tightly and walked over there.

After telling his mom what good old Reginald was planning, Diego started walking back, hesitating a few steps afterwards. On the side of the building, he saw the purple coat, this time, on a person. The profile of someone facing him while the owner of the coat was struggling to open the door, cursing under her breath. Diego walked towards her, feeling like he was outside of his body. "Need help?", the girl in front of him stopped fighting with the door and slowly put her head up, her breathing got unstable and she felt dizzy. Diego walked a few steps more, he was so close, he only needed to raise his hand to touch her arm, he thought of doing it. The front door opened, some chatter and the sound of steps to peek to where they were, it was Five, "Huh, I see we're all complete now, you coming with us?" He questioned while leaving. "Yeah", Diego felt like someone punched the air out of him when he saw Brooke's face.

***

The coffee was bitter. Everybody was out. He hadn't seen Lila since the Consulate, but he knew exactly where Brooke was. Even though that's how it used to be until a few months back, he couldn't help but feel strange.

Diego thought of waking Brooke up but maybe she needed to rest. She was staying in Elliot's room, to his dismay, but Diego made him shut up quickly. His train of thought stopped when he saw the figure he knew best walking in the kitchen with his shirt on. "You want breakfast?", Diego was leaning on the counter, she was rubbing her right eye with the back of her hand a bit harshly, he remembered all the mornings he stopped her from doing so. "How long have you been here?", Brooke turned around with a frown decorating her face, her lips were tense and her head was tilting to the left a bit, she was getting annoyed. "Couple of minutes-", he was quickly cut off. "No", Brooke huffed, "in this timeline", Brooke crossed her arms, head straight now, Diego didn't like the direction the discussion was heading to. "Couple of months", he left the coffee on the counter and crossed his arms as well, his left foot was on point in front of the other, "I've been here for 5 years, Diego", his heart stopped when she pronounced his name, she had always said it with the right accent. "Have you been looking for me?", Brooke questioned. "I asked the old woman in your house", next thing Diego heard was a sarcastic laugh. "And that's it? That was your big effort? Diego, I looked around this city up and down for you or a sign that you're alive. Heck, I started working for your father just to get a lead, and all you can do is ask an old woman after months of being here? Did you even try to find me?". This wasn't going as Diego had planned, he hadn't had planned anything but this isn't how it was supposed to be; they were supposed to be happy, relieved the other one was there, alive. "I was being held captive", Brooke arched her eyebrows, "And after that?", Brooke felt disappointment even before Diego answered. "I have to save JFK", he felt like answer was wrong but he didn't know exactly why, but he hated himself when he saw the reaction it had made on her. "What about me?", her voice was low but Diego felt like she had screamed it in his ear. Brooke's eyes were glassy, "Huh? When were you going to start looking for me?". Silence. Brooke started walking to Elliot's room to grab her stuff and leave; Diego didn't stop her.

Brooke was done, it was always the same with him, this was just the breaking point. Ever since the start of their relationship she felt like she was at the bottom of Diego's list. Brooke knew he loved her, but how much? She had always had the feeling she was the one that was more invested in having a better life and overcoming themselves. She totally understood Diego's wish to be a vigilante, she thought it was noble, he didn't earn anything from it besides scars, but everytime she got home and saw all the mess, she felt discouraged. Brooke remembers one specific time Diego asked her why she kept saving money, she thought the answer was obvious but he later revealed that it wasn't; or the time she had asked Diego what he thought their kids would look like while they were laying in bed, she felt how next to her Diego got tense, she though that maybe it was because she was going too fast, until she realized Diego didn't plan breakfast for starters. And of course she couldn't lie saying that there weren't happy moments and that she wanted to stay, but at what cost? She already knew what to do.

She felt an unfamiliar excitement in the pit of her stomach, her baggage was already in the bus and her ticket was getting revised. She got in. She was a little unfraid of what would happen, but the smile on her face was unerasable. After resigning in The Umbrella Academy, she bought the first ticket to New York City, if she played her cards right, she could have a better future than the one she had in 2019, only time would tell, now the difference was that the story was only hers.

***

As Diego fell into the ground, he could see memories passing by in front of him, some he didn't even know he had. Him and Ben playing with mud in the courtyard of the Hargreeves Mansion, all of his siblings playing with the snow when they were not so young anymore, Mom telling him and Vanya a bedtime story. He felt embraced by these, like dying was not so bad, but then, other memories came to his mind. Him and Brooke having a walk in the middle of the night in autumn in the park they had met, the time they were hiding in an alley because they had stolen a liter of ice cream because the owner was rude, looking at her from his bed while she was sewing in the couch, with those big glasses that she had; she didn't wear them a lot because she said she felt dumb, he was so surpised that even with those big eyes of hers that Diego loved so much she couldn't see how beautiful she was, he had always wondered how he could spare his own so she could get a glimpse of how he saw her. All these memories, instead of comforting him, felt like torture. How could he have been so stupid? He had already lived with JFK dead and he hadn't payed it no mind in 29 years of being alive, but now that he didn't have Brooke around, he felt like he was losing his mind, no other reason to move on, to keep fighting, maybe that's why he always wanted to keep the city safe, it kept _her_ safe. But it was too late, as Diego breathed his last breath, he wished that someday in the afterlife he could find Brooke and beg for forgiveness, and if the God that he had heard of so much existed, maybe she could, in fact, give him another chance.


End file.
